St. Nicholas Center ::: St. Nicholas Symbols St. Nicholas Symbols in Haarlem, NL! St. Nicholas Symbols A number of symbols help us recognize St. Nicholas. They developed from his most popular stories and customs. Crozier A hooked staff carried by a bishop; represents a shepherd's staff as the bishop is to be the shepherd of the people, as Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Again, a crozier is a general symbol for bishops, but unique to Nicholas among gift-givers. (also crosier) Three Gold Balls Represent the gold given to provide dowries for the impoverished maidens. Nicholas' gold balls became the pawnbroker's symbol. Sometimes oranges or apples are used to represent the gold. Gold Coins Another way of representing the gold given as dowries. Money Bags Usually three, but sometimes one, represent the gold thrown into the house to provide dowry money. Three Maidens The three young women who received the gold dowry money. Children In Tub Show Nicholas as the protector of children, from the story rescuing young children or students from the evil butcher or innkeeper. Usually three children are in the tub, but sometimes only two are present. Children Often shown with St.

Nicholas because he is their patron saint . Ship Symbolizes the close association St. Nicholas has with sailors, ships, and the sea. Anchor What do the 3 gold balls outside a pawn shop mean? | Hat City Pawn What do the 3 gold balls outside a pawn shop mean? By Hat City Pawn Published 12:08 pm, Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 Many traditional shops have iconic symbols outside their doors. The use of symbols for traditional shops dates back to a time in Europe when most people were unable to read or write. Instead, the common folk would rely on iconic symbols to identify the shops in medieval villages. Over time, the use of these symbols carried over and many are still in use today. The traditional sign of a pawn shop The traditional symbol for pawn shops is three gold balls suspended from a bar. While this has come to be a well-known symbol for pawn shops, the origins of the symbol aren’t so clear. There is a variety of lore associated with the origins and meaning of the symbol. One of the most common stories about the origins of the pawnbrokers ’ symbol traces back to the Medici family of Florence, Italy.

The symbolic meaning is said to be drawn from Lombard, which comes from the Italian province, Lombardy. Pawn shop banking is said to have started under the name Lombard banking in this province. Lombard Merchants? The medieval Lombard merchants used the three golden spheres as a symbol. They are said to have hung the spheres in front of their houses. In Europe, a pawn shop was called the Lombard. In London, England, a banking family was called The House of Lombard. The golden spheres are though to have represented byzants, which were gold coins at the time. The representation of the gold coins was laid upon a sable field in a heraldic manner. Later, the coins were changed to spheres to help attract more attention from passersby. The Medici Connection While the Medici family may not have been the original users of the symbol, there is a legend about how the three ball symbol made its way onto their coat of arms. The legend claims that a Medici hired Charlemagne to slay a giant using three bags of rocks. From that day forward, the Medici crest used the three balls. Other families adopted the use of the three balls because of the financial success of the Medici family.

The gold balls were used throughout the Middle Ages on crests as a symbol of success. Another common story about the origins of the three gold balls is about Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of pawnbrokers. Many believe the three gold balls symbolize the story of Saint Nicholas giving a bag of gold to each of a poor man’s three daughters to allow them the financial means to get married. In any case, the mystery and magic captured in these stories provides a rich history behind the three gold balls found outside of pawn shops . The next time you visit your local pawn shop, you might want to inquire about the owner’s personal interpretation of the meaning behind the three gold balls. The beauty of the symbol is that everyone can find their own meaning in those three gold balls. saintpatrickdc.org December 6 Asella of Rome V (RM) Died c. 406. "I saw in Rome the beautiful Asella, that aging virgin in the convent: a woman who is very sweet and who sustains the communicants" (Ballad).

Saint Jerome, who became her panegyrist, calls her "a flower of the Lord," and tells us that this Roman maiden took the veil at the age of ten, and retired to a small cubicle at 12, where she lived for long years until she became "the mother of many virgins." Palladius visited her in Rome, where she had her community (Benedictines, Encyclopedia). Nicholas of Myra (Bari) B (RM) Died c. 350. St. Nicholas was probably born to wealthy parents at Patara in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor. He was chosen bishop of the then rundown diocese of the capital of Myra, which he ruled with great care and faith. There he became known for his holiness, zeal, and miracles. To these meager facts legend, however, has supplied colorful details. His first 'biography' was written in the 9th century; a more popular one was written by Simon Metaphrastes in the 10th century. Greek histories hold that he suffered imprisonment and made a famous confession during the persecution of Diocletian.

He was present at the Council of Nicaea, where he condemned Arianism--one story holds that he actually slapped the heretic Arius. He died at Myra in Lycia. However, there is no historical support for either his confession nor his attendance at the council. By the time of Justinian (6th century), there was a basilica built in his honor at Constantinople. From the 9th century in the East and the 11th century in the West, he has been one of the most popular saints of Christendom and the subject of many legends. These hold that he was a wealthy young man who decided to devote his money to charitable activities and his life to converting sinners. The legends tell of how St. Nicholas, still sticky from the womb, rose up out of his first bath to fold his hands and raise his eyes to heaven in order to cleanse his heart before his body. He is also said to have taught his wet nurse about mortification by refusing her breast more than once on each Wednesday and Friday--a precocious exercise of asceticism!

Nicholas could have found communion with God in a monastic life, but to walk within the confines of a cloister would be insufficient for the saint's devotion. He wanted to be able to follow the footsteps of Jesus in the Palestine, which he did. On his voyages across the sea, he calmed the waves (which is why he is patron of sailors and travellers). A citizen of Patara lost his fortune, and because he could not raise dowries for his three daughters, he was going to give them over to prostitution. After hearing this, Nicholas took a bag of gold and threw it through the window of the man's house at night. The eldest girl was married with it as her dowry. He performed the same action for each of the other girls. The three purses, portrayed in art with the saint, were mistakenly thought to be the heads of children, and thus originated the story that three children, murdered by an innkeeper and pickled in a tub of brine, were resuscitated by Nicholas. The three purses are also thought to be the origin of the pawnbrokers' symbol of three gold balls.

Another legend holds that he appeared to sailors caught in storms off the coast of Lycia and led them safely into port. Churches built under his dedication are often placed so that they can be seen off the coast as landmarks. Yet another legend has it that he appeared to Constantine in a dream and thereby caused him to save three unjustly condemned imperial officers from death. Possibly another version says that the governor of Myra took a bribe to condemn to death three innocent men. The executioner was about to kill them when the bishop of the city, Nicholas, appeared and prevented the execution. Turning to the governor, the saint upbraided him till he confessed his sin and begged to be forgiven. When Myra fell into the hands of the Saracens, Italian cities seized the chance to acquire the relics of Nicholas. The relics were stolen by Italian merchants and came to Bari in southern Italy in 1087. A new church was built to shelter them, and Pope Urban II was present at their enshrining. The already popular saint became even more highly regarded thereafter. The shrine became one of the great pilgrimage centers of medieval Europe. Many miracles were reputed to have been worked through his intercession. The popular cultural representation of "St.

Nick" is based on a combination of Low Countries' custom of giving children presents on his feast day as their patron, and the Dutch Protestants of New Amsterdam (now New York) linking this to Nordic folklore of a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded exemplary ones with presents. (It should be noted that the figure of Santa Claus is really non-Christian and is based on the Germanic god Thor, who was associated with winter and the Yule log and rode on a chariot drawn by goats named Cracker and Gnasher.) Throughout Europe in the middle ages, St. Nicholas's feast day was the occasion for electing a Boy Bishop, who reigned until the feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28. Even in this century the custom survives in Montserrat in Catalonia, Spain (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Delaney, Encyclopedia, White). St. Nicholas's emblem in art is three balls.

Sometimes he is portrayed (1) as a young man throwing three golden balls into the window of three poor girls; (2) raising three children from a pickle tub; (3) rescuing survivors from a shipwreck; (4) reviving a man unjustly hanged (not to be confused with Nicholas of Tolentino, who is never a bishop); or (5) as a new-born babe praising God. Venerated at Bari, Monserrat, and Russia (Roeder). Patron of children (Santa Claus, Sint Klaus), bankers, captives (because of the rescue), pawnbrokers (three balls), and sailors (for miraculously saving doomed mariners off the coast of Lycia) (Roeder), brides, unmarried women (because he provided dowries), perfumers (from his shrine at Bari there was said to originate a fragrant 'myrrh'), of travellers, pilgrims, and safe journeys (because he reputedly travelled to the Holy Land and Egypt), maritime pilots (White), boatmen, fishermen, sailors, dock workers, stevedores, brewers, coopers, bootblacks, the unjustly judged, and poets (Encyclopedia).

Russia, Greece, Sicily, Lorraine, Moscow, Freibourg, and Apulia all fall under his patronage, too (White). About Saints of the Day These summaries were prepared in 1998 by St. Patrick's parishioner Katherine I. Rabenstein and are reproduced on with the permission of the author. Note that the content has not been updated since that time and represents the research of the author. An alphabetical index of all saints on our site is available. Source references are also available. HTML formatting © 2007-2008 by St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Washington, D.C. St Nicholas' Story St. Nicholas on west front of Salisbury Cathedral St Nicholas was born in the third century in the village of Patara, which at the time was part of Greece but is now on the southern coast of Turkey. Born into a wealthy family, Nicholas was raised as a devout Christian. Such that when an epidemic brought the death of his parents, Nicholas sold all of his inheritance and used the money to assist those in need, as instructed by the words of Jesus to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor".

He spent the rest of his life administering to those in need and in servicing God. Nicholas was made Bishop of Myra and established himself as a man renowned for his generosity to those in need, for his love of children and for his support of sailors and their ships. Under the reign of the Roman Emporer Diocletian, Christians were persecuted, abused and many imprisoned. Nicholas himself spent time in prison but was released when Emperor Constantine took over. Nicholas died on 6th December 343 in Myra and he was buried in the cathedral there. In 1087, his relics were translated to Bari in Italy, hence why Nicholas is sometimes referred to as Nicholas of Bari. The anniversary of his death is celebrated throughout the Christian world on 6th December and is called St. Nicholas Day. Many stories have been told of Nicholas and his life. These have secured his position as a protector and helper of those in need. One such story tells of the changing fortunes of the daughters of a poor man. At the time, when daughters married, the husband was provided with a dowry.

The size of the dowry influenced the chance of finding a husband, so the daughters of this poor man did not have a high chance of marrying well and may well be sold into slavery. Unexpectedly, a bag of gold for each daughter was thrown through the window of their house. The bags of gold landed in stockings or shoes left out. People believe that the gold was a gift from St. Nicholas and so this led to the custom of children hanging out stockings or putting out shoes, hopefully to receive a gift from St. Nicholas. There is a variation to the story which states that instead of gold pieces, the gifts were golden balls. Hence why three gold balls are used as the symbol associated with St. Nicholas. Celebrating St. Nick and his three golden balls - SooToday.com SooToday.com Local News Celebrating St.

Nick and his three golden balls NEWS RELEASE BST PAWNBROKERS ************************** The pawn industry has experienced a revival within the last decade due to the popularity of reality television shows depicting pawnshops as welcoming, honest establishments frequented by anyone, Dec 4, 2013 5:11 PM by: SooToday Staff BST PAWNBROKERS ************************** The pawn industry has experienced a revival within the last decade due to the popularity of reality television shows depicting pawnshops as welcoming, honest establishments frequented by anyone, regardless of wealth or status. This is in fact how much of the world regarded pawnshops up until the 18th century when the unregulated “dolly shops” put the whole industry in disrepute. Many acts and regulations have since been imposed on the industry, and a new breed of honest, forthright pawnbrokers have made visiting these establishments exciting again. December 6th marks St. Nicholas Day, celebrating the patron saint of pawnbroking. The day acknowledges the valuable lending and retail services provided by pawnbrokers around the globe and is traditionally celebrated by gifting musical instruments. However, the rich history of the pawn industry as well as the more recent interpretation of St.

Nicholas as Santa Clause has led many to be unfamiliar with St. Nicholas Day. Fortunately, not all have forgotten. One small pawnshop in West end Sault Ste. Marie has been doing everything it can to re-establish December 6th as International Pawnbrokers’ Day. “The secret to being a successful pawnshop is keeping the store clean, treating everyone with respect, and ensuring that the items you take as collateral have a resale value,” said Shawn, Pawnbroker and part owner of BST Pawnbrokers. “The public image of pawnbrokers are of greasy, cigar smoking, scary guys, and we're doing everything we can to kill those stereotypes.” BST Pawnbrokers have been doing very well servicing Sault Ste. Marie and celebrating St. Nicholas Day by advertising in local media, reducing prices on all musical instruments for the week leading up to December 6, and decorating the store with three golden balls—a traditional symbol of the pawnbroking industry.

Spend a little time with a pawnbroker and he or she will entertain you with personal stories that will make you laugh and will share with you the rich history of the industry, with stories like that of Queen Isabella, who pawned her crown jewels to pay for Columbus' Atlantic expedition. So in this day and age, when recycling, saving, and needing a quick loan to get you through the month are so relevant, your best option may be to visit a pawnshop like BST Pawnbrokers, located at 628 Second line W, on the corner of Second line and Goulais Ave. By Casey Gallant Pawn History | Chilliwack, BC Canada 604-795-9959 | Nuway Pawn Broker This is what a modern Pawn Shop is all about, setting new standards! Together, we make the difference. Pawn History As mankind's oldest financial institution, pawnbroking carries on a tradition with a rich history. Pawnbroking can be traced back at least 3,000 years to ancient China, and has been found in the earliest written histories of Greek and Roman civilizations.

Pawning has long been a source of capital for people in times of need, as well as a means of financing business ventures. Pawnbroker, a Profession that is based on the offering of loans using possessions as collateral. The job of a pawnbroker is to evaluate the value of any possessions that are offered as collateral for loans. The loan offered is a percentage of this value and the possessions are kept by the pawnbroker over the agreed period of the loan. If the money is repaid at any time during this period the customer gets the pawned items back. If the time elapses the pawnbroker gets to sell the possessions and as a result there are generally no small number of formerly pawned objects offered for sale at a pawnbrokers. Saint Nicholasis the patron saint of pawnbrokers. A common pawnbroker's symbol is 3 balls suspended from a bar (as shown below), representative of the three bags of gold associated with Nicholas's story. There is an archaic language associated with the pawnbroker that today makes the famous pawnbroker Nursery Rhyme Pop Goes The Weasel. Nursery Rhyme "Pop Goes The Weasel" refers to pawning. A weasel is a shoemaker's tool and to "pop" is to pawn.

"That's the way the money goes... Pop goes the weasel." This article is provided by contributions of Wikimedia Foundation. All text is available under the GNU free documentation The Legendary Origins of the Pawnbroker Symbol The Least Known Legend. One of the least known origins that has been researched is the coin known as the "Silver Shekel" or "Shekel of Israel" which was issued in A.D. 68 after a Jewish revolt against the Romans. One side of the coin depicted three pomegranates, with a common stalk. The Traditional Legend of the Three Balls. The symbol of the three balls was part of the coat of arms of the Medici family, who established the Medici trading and banking empire in Florence, Italy. The Medicis were a 15th century Italian family of bankers and lenders, with considerable fame and fortune. They became so well known in the finance and lending profession that the other lenders, wanting to share in their success, adopted similar coats of arms, signs, shields and symbols, with three golden balls being the most popular. Once other merchants involved in monetary dealing adopted the three golden balls as their symbol, the three balls came to symbolize the entire profession founded on the ethic of mutual trust.

Throughout the Middle ages you can find many coats of arms bearing three balls, orbs, plates, disks, coins, and more as symbolic of monetary success. When Italian bankers began to open branches abroad, the symbol of the three golden balls spread to the European West. It is known that there was pawnbroking in Spain because Queen Isabella pawned some of her royal jewels to finance Columbus' long voyage to the New World. I wonder if the pawnbroker who madethat loan knew just what he was starting? The symbol of the three golden balls was brought to the United States from England, where pawnbrokers still display the symbol to this day. Saint Nicholas and his Three Gifts of Gold. The figure of Saint Nicholas is a legend from the Orthodox Russian Church. He was said to be very kind to the poor. There are few other mythology characters and heroes of folklore who have embraced our hearts and collective spirit as has "Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra." In Turkey, Myra (now Demre) is where Saint Nicholas gained his world-renowned fame.

Born around the year 280 in Patara, fifty miles west of Myra (Demre), into a well to do Christian family, young Nicholas was ordained into the priesthood when he was nineteen years old. When his Uncle and namesake, the Bishop Nicholas, went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Nicholas was appointed as deputy to oversee the monastery, which the elder Nicholas had built. Thus began the 'life of enlightenment' of the 'boy bishop' Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas and the Pawnbroker. Through his great acts of kindness and generosity, Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of many; of seafaring men, of marriageable young women, of the falsely accused, of endangered travelers, of farmers, of children (of course), of merchants, and of pawnbrokers. Pawnbrokers and bankers in northern Italy, who would look to Saint Nicholas as their patron saint, would hang three golden balls above the doors of their shops in tribute to, and for good luck from, their Saint Nicholas. Another legend tells of the pawnbroker who made a loan to a friend with no collateral to secure the debt. The friend however swears on the icon of Saint Nicholas that he will repay the loan from the pawnbroker on a fixed date.

When that date comes around, and the debt is due the pawnbroker, his friend refuses to pay the debt, insisting that he owes the Pawnbroking nothing. To settle the matter, the borrower and the pawnbroker take their case to court for the judge to decide. The debtor declares under oath that he has given the borrowed money back to the pawnbroker. Technically, the debtor spoke the truth, for unknown to all in the court, he had ssecretly deposited the exact sum of money owed into a hollow shaft of his walking cane, which he had tricked the pawnbroker into holding while he declared his oath of repayment. With no evidence of guilt, the judge of the court decides in favor of the debtor. This dismayed the pawnbroker who felt betrayed by his patron Saint Nicholas. Leaving the court, the crooked borrower was making his way home, and after becoming fatigued, was forced by exhaustion to lie down by the side of the road to rest where he fell into a deep, trance-like sleep, from which no passerby could awake him. Unable to wake or move him, a passersby watched in horror as the crooked borrower was run over by a runaway horse and wagon, and he suffered a painful death.

The passersby then notice laying on the road, the valuable contents of the debtor's walking cane that had been broken open by the wheel of the wagon. The passersby called the pawnbroker and the judge to the scene of the accident. The pawnbroker counts the spillage of coins to find that they total the exact amount borrowed from him, but he refuses to take the money while his one-time friend lies lifeless. The pawnbroker prays that if the power of Saint Nicholas is great enough to take the life of the crooked debtor to expose his fraudulent claim, surely the good and merciful Saint could bring his friend back to life. Heartened by the good will and generosity of the pawnbroker, Saint Nicholas obeys the prayer, and miraculously, the debtor opens his eyes, stands, and walks to the pawnbroker. He repays all the money he owed. The story of the debtor and the pawnbroker helped establish the role of Saint Nicholas as the protector of financial integrity and guardian of commitments made in good faith. Deed of Generosity. Even before the young Nicholas had become a priest, a repeated deed of generosity symbolically characterized the beloved Saint.

As the legend goes, the generous deed was bestowed upon a widowed nobleman who lived in the same town as Nicholas and his parents. The nobleman, once wealthy, but now without a penny, found himself desperate and unable to take care of his three teenage daughters. To support himself and his two youngest daughters, the one-time nobleman conspired with an evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his oldest daughter into slavery or 'ill repute.' Hearing of the poor man's plight, the young Nicholas tied three hundred florins into a handkerchief, resembling a small, round sack. One evening, after dark, Nicholas secretly threw the small, round sack of gold coins through an open window in the poor man's house. Then as quietly as he came, young Nicholas hurried away from the house and into the shadows of the night. The next morning, when the gold coins were found, the poor man and his daughters blessed their anonymous 'gift-giver', and used the money as a dowry so that his oldest girl could be married. Their household was able to survive for a time, but soon the poor man and his daughters were again in financial straits.

With nowhere else to turn, the man again colluded with the evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his now oldest daughter. However, before this could happen, the young Nicholas heard of the poor mans struggle, and again threw a second small, round sack of gold coins through an open window in the man's house, silently disappearing into the dark of night. The next morning, the gold coins were found, and the poor man and his two daughters blessed their mysterious gift-giver, because the now oldest daughter could be married using the money as her dowry. The poor man and his last remaining daughter survived well enough for a while, but after time passed they found themselves once again in desperate need, and the man returned to the evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his last remaining daughter. Hearing of the poor man's desperation, young Nicholas again came secretly to the man's house and threw a third small, round sack of gold coins through an open window. This time however, the man spotted Nicholas trying to make his silent getaway.

When the man caught up to him, he told Nicholas, "If you had not saved us in time, our family would have been destroyed, materially and morally." A modest and noble man, Nicholas was much too humble to accept such praise, and said, "Please, do not tell anyone of this deed as long as I live." The man agreed, and not until the death of Saint Nicholas did he ever tell a single soul. Though the generous Saint of Myra may be historically known as Saint Nicholas, his spirit has bred many other names. In other countries he is known as Sankt Nicholas, Sint Nicholas, Santa Klass, Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Befana, and Krist Kindlein. Of course, we know him as jolly old Santa Claus. But whatever the name, the emotion evoked by his image remain the same. The universal values of good will and generosity transcend time and tradition, and the need to love and to be loved are characteristic traits of Saint Nicholas to which all aspire. The transformation of Saint Nicholas into Father Christmas or Father January occurred first in Germany, then in countries where the Reformed Churches were the majority, and finally in France, the feast day being celebrated on Christmas or New Year's Day.

Dutch Protestant settlers in New Amsterdam (New York City) replaced Saint Nicholas (Sinter Claes) with the benevolent magician who became known as Santa Claus, thus contributing further to his spreading folklore. STRANGE BUT TRUE! Throughout history, pawnbrokers have been helping people. The Bible offers references to pawnbroking, and in Deuteronomy 24:6-13 it states: "No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge, for he taketh a man's life to pledge". What this means is: you should not take as a pledge anything a man needs to make a living. The same chapter also says: "Thou shalt not go into his house to fetch the pledge. Thou shalt stand abroad and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring the pledge…unto thee." Interestingly, often the debtor's children could be used as a pledge (2 Kings,4:1-7). Also in Deuteronomy 23:21 the people were told not to take interest from their own countrymen - only from foreigners.

According to ancient Mesopotamian law, the rates of interest charged - even in those days - were 20% for silver, and 33% for grain. © Nuway Pawn Broker 2012 St. Nicholas Center ::: Advent 6 Illustration by Paul Bommer Used by permission St Nicholas was the greek Bishop of Myra ( Demre , in Lycia , part of modern-day Turkey) in the early 4th Century AD. Many miracles are attributed to his intercession and, over the centuries, he became a hugely popular saint . He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose English name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas (St Nick). In 1087, his relics were furtively translated to Bari , in southeastern Italy; for this reason, he is also known as Nikolaos of Bari. His feastday is to-day, December 6th. Happy St Nick's Day!

Saint Nicholas is the Patron Saint of sailors, merchants, archers, thieves, pawnbrokers, children, and students (amongst other things) throughout Christendom. He is shown here in classical episcopal attire, with a few of the symbols assigned to him on the right—the 3 golden balls (pawnbrokers), a ship (sailors) and the infants in a barrel (children). The most famous story about him involves helping out a poor man with three daughters. The father was so poor that he couldn't afford a dowry for his three girls—in those days it would have meant they remained unmarried and possibly be forced into prostitution. St Nick interceeded by secretly donating 3 purses of gold coins over 3 nights, one for each of the 3 daughters. In some stories he threw the purses in through a window to avoid being identified as the donor, in others he dropped the money down the chimney, where it landed, plop, into the stocking of one of the girls. Hence the pawnbroker's balls, Christmas stockings and gift-giving associated with the saint.

Another legend tells how a terrible famine struck the land and a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he slaughtered and butchered them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Saint Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, not only saw through the butcher's horrific crime but also resurrected the three boys from the barrel by his prayers. Hence the symbol of kids in a barrell or vat (I have only shown 2 not 3 as I ran our of space)! And hence St Nick's association with children. However, it is likely that the legend grew up from a misinterpretation of ancient icons and images of the saint where he is shown baptising heathens in a font. To show reverence for the Saint, the men being christened were shown small, and over time, mis-read as being nippers in brine.

(Misinterpretation of icons happened a lot in the past it seems—Google St Agatha, Patron Saint of Bell-ringers to see another example!) Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas Tweet Nicholas of Myra (270 - December 6, 346), better known as Saint Nicholas was a Lycian saint and Bishop of Myra in Lycia of Anatolia (modern-day Antalya province, Turkey, though at the time it was a Greek-speaking Roman Province). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercessions, he is also known as Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and is now commonly identified with Santa Claus. Although Nicholas was never canonized officialy, his reputation simply evolved among the faithful, as was the custom in his time. Saint Nicholas is also known as Saint Nicholas of Bari because in 1087, his relics were furtively translated to Bari in southern Italy.

Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, children, and students in Croatia, Greece, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovakia, Serbia and Montenegro. The historical Saint Nicholas is honored by Catholic, Orthodox Christians and by various Anglican and Lutheran churches. He is also the patron saint of Barranquilla (Colombia), Bari (Italy), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Beit Jala in the West Bank of Palestine, Liverpool (England) and Russia. In 1809, the New-York Historical Society convened and retroactively named Sancte Claus the patron saint of Nieuw Amsterdam, the Dutch name for New York City. He was also a patron of the Varangian Guard of the Eastern Roman Emperors, who protected his relics in Bari. So beloved is St. Nicholas by Russians, one commonly heard saying is "if God dies, at least we'll still have St. Nicholas." Miracles and deeds connected with Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas is a good man and the patron saint of sailors and is often called upon by mariners who are in danger of drowning or being shipwrecked.

In Germany survivors of shipwrecks traditionally brought patches of sailcloth to Saint Nicholas as votive offerings. According to one legend, as a young man Nicholas went to study in Alexandria and on one of his sea voyages from Myra to Alexandria he is said to have saved the life of a sailor who fell from the ship's rigging in a storm. In a colorful version of this legend, Nicholas saved the man on his voyage back from Alexandria to Myra and upon his arrival took the sailor to the church. At that time the previous bishop of the city had just died and the church fathers were instructed in a dream to choose for their next bishop a "man who conquers". While the saint was praying, the loose-lipped sailor went around telling how courageously he was saved by the man Nikei-Laos, upon which the church elders had no choice but to elect Nicholas as their new bishop. Another legend tells how a terrible famine struck the island and a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he slaughtered and butchered them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham.

Saint Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, not only saw through the butcher's horrific crime but also resurrected the three boys from the barrel by his prayers. Another version of this story, possibly formed around the eleventh century, claims that the butcher's victims were instead three clerks who wished to stay the night. The man murdered them, and was advised by his wife to dispose of them by turning them into meat pies. The Saint saw through this and brought the men back to life. In his most famous exploit however, a poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's plight, Nicholas decided to help him but being too modest to help the man in public, (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man's house. One version has him throwing one purse for three consecutive nights.

Another has him throw the purses over a period of three years, each time the night before one of the daughters comes "of age". Invariably, the third time the father lies in wait, trying to discover the identity of their benefactor. In one version the father confronts the saint, only to have Saint Nicholas say it is not him he should thank, but God alone. In another version, Nicholas learns of the poor man's plan and drops the third bag down the chimney instead; a variant holds that the daughter had washed her stockings that evening and hung them over the embers to dry, and that the bag of gold fell into the stocking. For his help to the poor, Nicholas is the patron saint of pawnbrokers; the three gold balls traditionally hung outside a pawnshop symbolize the three sacks of gold. People then began to suspect that he was behind a large number of other anonymous gifts to the poor, using the inheritance from his wealthy parents. After he died, people in the region continued to give to the poor anonymously, and such gifts were still often attributed to St. Nicholas. A nearly identical story is attributed by Greek folklore to Basil of Caesarea.

Basil's feast day on January 1 is considered the time of exchanging gifts in Greece. In late medieval England, on Saint Nicholas' Day parishes held Yuletide "boy bishop" celebrations. As part of this celebration, youths performed the functions of priests and bishops, and exercised rule over their elders. Today, Saint Nicholas is still celebrated as a great gift-giver in several Western European countries. According to one source, medieval nuns used the night of December 6th to anonymously deposit baskets of food and clothes at the doorsteps of the needy. According to another source, on December 6th every sailor or ex-sailor of the Low Countries (which at that time was virtually all of the male population) would descend to the harbor towns to participate in a church celebration for their patron saint. On the way back they would stop at one of the various Nicholas fairs to buy some hard-to-come-by goods, gifts for their loved ones and invariably some little presents for their children. While the real gifts would only be presented at Christmas, the little presents for the children were given right away, courtesy of Saint Nicholas.

This and his miracle of him resurrecting the three butchered children, made Saint Nicholas a patron saint of children and later students as well. Among Albanians, Saint Nicholas is known as Shen'Kollë and is venerated by most Catholic families, even those from villages that are devoted to other saints. The Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on the eve of December 5th, known as Shen'Kolli i Dimnit (Saint Nicholas of Winter), as well as on the commemoration of the interring of his bones in Bari, the eve of May 8th, known as Shen'Kolli i Majit (Sant Nicholas of May). Albanian Catholics often swear by Saint Nicholas, saying "Pasha Shejnti Shen'Kollin!" ("May I see Holy Saint Nicholas!"), indicting the importance of this saint in Albanian culture, especially among the Albanians of Malësia. On the eve of his feast day, Albanians will light a candle and abstain from meat, preparing a feast of roasted lamb and pork, to be served to guests after midnight.

Guests will greet each other, saying, "Nata e Shen'Kollit ju nihmoftë!" ("May the Night of Saint Nicholas help you!") and other such blessings. The bones of Albania's greatest hero, Gjergj Kastrioti, were also interred in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Lezha, Albania, upon his death. So strong and powerful was the mystery surrounding this figure and this holy church, that the invading Turks stole the bones and used them as amulets, so they are no longer there. In iconography Saint Nicholas is a popular subject portrayed on countless Eastern Orthodox icons, particularly Russian ones. He is depicted as an Orthodox bishop, wearing the omophorion and holding a Gospel Book, sometimes he is depicted wearing the Eastern Orthodox mitre, sometimes he is bareheaded. Iconographically, Nicholas is depicted as an elderly man with a short, full white beard and balding head. In commemoration of the miracle attributed to him by tradition at the Ecumenical Council of Nicea, he is sometimes depicted with Christ over his left shoulder holding out a Gospel Book to him and the Theotokos over his right shoulder holding the omophorion.

Because of his patronage of mariners, occasionally Saint Nicholas will be shown standing in a boat or rescuing a drowning sailor. In Roman Catholic iconography, Saint Nicholas is depicted as a bishop, wearing the insignia of this dignity: a red bishop's cloak, a red miter and a bishop's staff (crozier). The episode with the three dowries is commemorated by showing him holding in his hand either three purses, three coins or three golden balls. Depending on whether he is depicted as patron saint of children or sailors, his images will be completed by a background showing ships, children or three figures climbing out of a wooden barrel (the three slaughtered children he resurrected). In a strange twist, the three golden balls referring to the dowry affair are sometimes misinterpreted as being oranges or other fruits. As in the Low Countries oranges are generally believed to come from Spain, this led to the belief that the Saint lives in Spain and comes to visit every winter bringing oranges and other 'wintry' fruits. Saint Nicholas the festive gift-giver Saint Nicholas Day is a festival for children in much of Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts.

The American Santa Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas, derive from these legends. "Santa Claus" is itself derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas. The history of the festive Saint Nicholas celebration is complex and reflects conflicts between Protestantism and Catholicism. Since Nicholas was a canonized saint, Martin Luther replaced the festival that had become associated with the Papacy with a Christkind ("Christ child") celebration on Christmas Eve. The Nicholas celebrations still remain a part of tradition among many Protestants, albeit on a much smaller scale than Christmas. The Protestant Netherlands, however, retain a much larger Saint Nicholas tradition. Many Dutch Catholics, on the other hand, have adopted Luther's Christkind. Celebration in Italy St. Nicholas (San Nicola) is the patron of the city of Bari, where he is buried. Its deeply felt celebration is called the Festa di San Nicola, held on the 7-8-9 of May. In particular on May 8 the relics of the saint are carried on a boat on the sea in front of the city with many boats following (Festa a mare). On December 6 there is a ritual called the Rito delle nubili.

The same tradition is currently observed in Sassari, where during the day of Saint Nicholas, patron of the city, gifts are given to young brides who need help before getting married. In Trieste St. Nicholas (San Nicolò) is celebrated with gifts given to children on the morning of the 6th of December and with a fair called Fiera di San Nicolò during the first weeks of December. Depending on the cultural background, in some families this celebration is more important than Christmas. Trieste is a city on the sea, being one of the main ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is influenced mainly by Italian, Slovenian and German cultures, but also Greek and Serbian. Celebration in Central Europe In Germany, Nikolaus is usually celebrated on a small scale. Many children put a boot, called Nikolaus-Stiefel, outside the front door on the night of December 5 to December 6. St. Nicholas fills the boot with gifts, and at the same time checks up on the children to see if they were good. If they were not, they will have a tree branch (rute) in their boots instead.

Sometimes, a disguised Nikolaus also visits the children at school or in their homes and asks them if they "have been good" (sometimes ostensibly checking a book for their record), handing out presents on a per-behaviour basis. This has become more lenient in recent decades. But for many children, Nikolaus also elicited fear, as he was often accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, who would threaten to beat, or sometimes actually eat the children for misbehavior. Knecht Ruprecht furthermore was equipped with goat legs. In Switzerland, where he is called Schmutzli, he would threaten to put bad children in a sack and take them back to the dark forest. In other accounts he would throw the sack into the river, drowning the naughty children. These traditions were implemented more rigidly in Catholic countries and regions such as Austria or Bavaria. In highly Catholic regions, the local priest was informed by the parents about their children's behavior and would then personally visit the homes in the traditional Christian garment and threaten to beat them with a rod. In parts of Austria, Krampusse, who local tradition says are Nikolaus' helpers (in reality, typically children of poor families), roamed the streets during the festival.

They wore masks and dragged chains behind them, even occasionally hurling them towards children in their way. These Krampusläufe (Krampus runs) still exist, although perhaps less violent than in the past. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Mikuláš is often also accompanied by an angel (anděl) who acts as a counterweight to the ominous devil or Knecht Ruprecht (čert). In Slovenia Saint Nikolaus (Miklavž) is accompanied by an angel and a devil (parkelj) corresponding to the Austrian Krampus. In Luxembourg "Kleeschen" is accompanied by the "Houseker" a frightening helper wearing a brown monk's habit. In Croatia Nikolaus (Sveti Nikola) who visits on Saint Nicholas day (Nikolinje) brings gifts to children commending them for their good behavior over the past year and exhorting them to continue in the same manner in the year to come. If they fail to do so they will receive a visit from Krampus who traditionally leaves a rod, an instrument their parents will use to discipline them. In Hungary and Romania children typically leave their boots on the windowsill on the evening of December 5.

By next morning Nikolaus (Szent Miklós traditionally but more commonly known as Mikulás) in Hungary or Moş Nicolae (Sfântul Nicolae) in Romania leaves candy and gifts if they have been good, or a rod (Hungarian: virgács, Romanian: nuieluşǎ) if they have been bad (most kids end up getting lots of candy but also a small rod). In Hungary he is often accompanied by the Krampusz, the frightening helper who is out to take away the bad ones. Similarly in Poland, children polish their winter boots on December 5th and leave them by their beds at night, and by morning of December 6th Saint Nicholas ("Święty Mikołaj") fills the boots with small presents. Celebration in Canada and the United States While feasts of Saint Nicholas are not observed nationally, cities with strong German influences like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and St. Louis celebrate St. Nick's Day on a scale similar to the German custom. On the previous night, children put one empty shoe (or sock) outside, and, on the following morning of December 6, the children awake to find that St.

Nick has filled their previously empty footwear with candy and small presents (if the children have been "good") or coal (if not). For these children, the relationship between St. Nick and Santa Claus is not clearly defined, although St. Nick is usually explained to be a helper of Santa. The tradition of St. Nick's Day is firmly established in the Milwaukee and St. Louis communities, with parents often continuing to observe the day with even their adult children. Celebration in Belgium and the Netherlands In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve (December 5) is the primary occasion for gift-giving, when his reputed birthday is celebrated. In this case, roles are reversed, though, in that Sinterklaas is the one who gives the presents. In recent years, Christmas (along with Santa Claus) has been pushed by shopkeepers as another gift-giving festival, with some success; although, especially for young children, Saint Nicholas' Eve is still much more important than Christmas. In the days leading up to December 5 (starting when Saint Nicholas has arrived in the Netherlands by steamboat), young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing special 'Sinterklaas-songs'.

Often the shoe is filled with a carrot or some hay for the horse of St. Nicholas (called Amerigo). On the next morning they will find a small present in their shoe, ranging from a bag of chocolate coins to a bag of marbles or some other small toy. On the evening of December 5th, Sinterklaas brings presents to every child that has been good in the past year (in practice to all children). This is often done by placing a sack with presents outside the house or living room, after which a neighbour or parent bangs the door or window, pretending to be Sinterklaas' assistant. Another option is to hire or ask someone to dress up as Sinterklaas and deliver the presents personally. Sinterklaas wears a bishop's robes including a red cape and mitre, rides a white horse over the rooftops and is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colorful Moorish dress, dating back two centuries. These helpers are called 'Zwarte Pieten' (Black Petes). In the past number of years, there has been a recurrent discussion about the politically incorrect nature of the Moorish helper.

In particular Dutch citizens with backgrounds from Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles feel offended by the Dutch slavery history connected to this emblem and regard the Zwarte Pieten to be racist. Celebration in France Saint Nicolas is celebrated in the eastern part of the country (Alsace, Lorraine regions) and less strongly in the northern part of the country (Nord département). He is accompanied by "Père Fouettard", carrying a bunch of sticks with which naughty children are beaten. The most famous story about Saint Nicolas is where he rescues three children from a butcher. Celebration in Portugal In Portugal, St. Nicholas (São Nicolau) has been celebrated since the Middle Ages in Guimarães as the patron saint of high-school students, in the so called Nicolinas, a group of festivities that occur from November 29th to December 7th each year. The metamorphosis of Saint Nicholas into the commercially more lucrative Santa Claus, which took several centuries in Europe and America, has recently been re-enacted in the saint's home town, the city of Demre. This modern Turkish town is built near the ruins of ancient Myra. As St. Nicholas is a very popular Orthodox saint, the city attracts many Russian tourists.

A solemn bronze statue of the Saint by the Russian sculptor Gregory Pototsky, donated by the Russian government in 2000, was given a prominent place on the square in front of the medieval church of St. Nicholas. In 2005, mayor Suleyman Topcu had the statue replaced by a red-suited plastic Santa Claus statue, because he wanted the central statue to be more recognizable to visitors from all over the world. Protests from the Russian government against this action were successful only to the extent that the Russian statue was returned, without its original high pedestal, to a corner near the church. Restoration on Saint Nicholas' original church in Demre is currently under way. In 2007, the Turkish Ministry of Culture finally gave permission for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated at the site, and has even contributed the sum of forty-thousand Turkish Lira to the project.

Question: Which saint is associated with the emblem of three golden balls
Answer: Saint Nicholas